


Treasure Hunters

by WotanAnubis



Category: Renowned Explorers: International Society (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 07:53:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12185958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WotanAnubis/pseuds/WotanAnubis
Summary: In which it's hard to get something for the Renowned Explorer who's already got everything.





	Treasure Hunters

Chairman Pinkerton rather enjoyed his stuffy little office with its sturdy furniture, its expensive wooden bookcases and its quiet air of genteel dullness. Today, however, he'd rather be anywhere else, for the stuffy serenity of his office had been brutally disturbed by the presences of Yvonne and Phailin. Who were here because he'd summoned them.

Pinkerton wished he hadn't had to. Yvonne always had this air about her that she was far more important than anyone else and anyone who dared attract her attention had better had a really good reason for wasting her time. She also had a whip. Phailin was something of a less obvious threat, but only to people who didn't know her. Yes, she was all kind smiles and seductive grace. But only until one put a foot wrong and the knives came out. True, at the moment it seemed Phailin had only brought along her fan, but Pinkerton knew better than to trust that. Just because he couldn't see the knives right now didn't mean they weren't there.

Either one alone would have been headache enough, but put the two of them together and... and... Well, Pinkerton really didn't know what to think of it. Even now, with the two of them sitting on the opposite side of his oak desk in separate chairs and looking at him rather than one another, there was this indefinable sense of electricity in the air. As though they were a pair rumbling thunder storms waiting to collide and when they did the whole world would see some real lightning.

"So then," Chairman Pinkerton began, shuffling some papers on his desk to delay the moment he'd have to look at the two women, "I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here."

"The thought had crossed my mind," Yvonne said.

"It concerns your... your recent, uhm, expeditions," Pinkerton said wretchedly.

"I like to think you invited us to congratulate us on our successes," Phailin said with a smile. "However, I fear that's not going to be the case."

"Well, you did achieve some remarkable things," Pinkerton said with forced joviality. "And I suppose congratulations are indeed in order those accomplishments, but uhm... you see, the Board thinks that, uhm..."

"Just state the problem, would you?" Yvonne sighed. "I have things to take care of."

"Yes, yes, of course," Chairman Pinkerton said hurriedly. "Well, you see... Yvonne. A few months ago you ventured to the frozen North and into the realm of the Frost Giants to retrieve the Rose of Eternal Snow."

"Quite successfully, I might add," Yvonne said with a smile.

"Yes. Of course. Uhm. But then you just have the Rose of Eternal Snow to Phailin," said Pinkerton.

"Well, naturally," said Yvonne. "She'd only just joined the Society. I thought a welcoming gift would only be proper."

"You thought a priceless magical flower would make a suitable welcoming gift," Pinkerton stated flatly.

"Of course," Yvonne replied. "It wouldn't do to give her anything less, would it?"

"Ah, yes, uhm, well... I notice you haven't given any of our other newcomers such an, ah, extravagant gift. Or any gifts at all, really."

"Didn't I?" Yvonne said, her face devoid of expression. "How negligent of me."

"Uhm, yes. Well," Pinkerton managed. "Phailin, for your first expedition you ventured into the untamed jungles of South America where you uncovered the ruins of an ancient and forgotten temple and stole the Ruby Eyes from the statue of the nameless Snake God."

"It was quite an adventure," Phailin said pleasantly. "So many rolling boulders."

"I can imagine," said Pinkerton. "But those Ruby Eyes... well... those were the same rubies Yvonne is now wearing as earrings."

"And they look lovely on her," Phailin said.

"Thank you," said Yvonne. "I very much enjoy them."

"And after that," Pinkerton marched on determinedly, "you went out and found a bottle of Hathor's Milk and an Orphic Egg. Which... well, the implications are astounding."

"Less astounding ever since Dolores punched Bastet in the face," Yvonne said calmly.

"Even so... these are divine treasures," Pinkerton said. "And Phailin, you used them to... bake a pie."

"A cake," Phailin corrected him. "To celebrate Yvonne's birthday."

"It was very thoughtful. And the cake? It was brilliant." Yvonne smiled nastily. "One might almost say it was a divine birthday cake."

Chairman Pinkerton found himself at a loss for words. To treat these things so casually! But that was the whole problem, wasn't it? That was why they were here.

"And then finally, Yvonne, you rediscovered the sunken city of Atlantis," Pinkerton sighed.

"Barely worth the effort, really," said Yvonne. "Very Greco-Roman. Except with more seaweed all over the place."

"And in Atlantis you came across the secrets of Orichalcum, which you then used..."

Phailin raised one slender arm. Gold bangles sparkled in the sunlight falling in through the dusty window. But not so much as the one unusual bangle stuck neatly in the middle.

"To create this magnificent little piece of jewelry," Phailin said. "They make the earrings I gave you look positively mundane in comparison."

"Not at all, not at all," said Yvonne. "These rubies once belonged to a god. While that bangle, well it was recently made in an Atlantean forge, no more."

"Forged _by you_ ," Phailin said. "And don't think I'll forget it."

"You see, that's the problem!" Pinkerton burst out. 

Yvonne and Phailin briefly forgot each other and turned their full attentions to him.

"Well, not a problem, as such," Pinkerton mumbled under their remorseless stares. "Obviously, what you've accomplished is spectacular and you are both great examples of what our Society stands for, but... well... you see..."

"Yes?" Phailin said pleasantly, though not quite managing to hide the knives in her voice.

"You see... there are some members of our Society who have... uhm... expressed certain... concerns about your... about your, uhm... your conduct."

"Really?" Yvonne said, as she idly recoiled her whips. "What members and what kind of concerns?"

"Well, of course I can't tell you their names," Chairman Pinkerton said. "Confidentiality, you know. As for their concerns... well... You see, the Society strives to find all these treasures lost to time and bring them back to the public. To preserve them and safeguard them and to show to all the world the astonishing accomplishments of all our cultures. And not to hand them out amongst ourselves as private gifts. You see."

"Yes, I think I do," said Yvonne. "Well, don't worry. I shall bequeath my earrings to the Society after my death."

"And I will, likewise, grant my flower and my bangle to the Society after mine," Phailin added.

Yvonne smiled. "I'm not sure what to do about the cake, though. Perhaps you'd like to prevail on Phailin to bake another one?"

Chairman Pinkerton squirmed in his seat. This wasn't quite the outcome he'd hoped for. The artifacts were supposed to go the the Society museum immediately, not kept by Yvonne and Phailin for who knew how much longer. And considering Dracula had recently joined the Society, the possibility existed it would be a lot longer indeed.

He had to be bold. He had to pour steel into his spine, look these two women straight in the eyes and tell them they couldn't keep their gifts.

"Yes, well, that'll do," Pinkerton mumbled instead. "I'm sure that'll reassure everyone. Oh, but, uhm, I, uh... Well... I think we would all appreciate it if your future Expeditions didn't have such personal goals? Please?"

* * * * *

"Well, that was dull," Phailin said as she and Yvonne emerged from Pinkerton's office and walked out into the corridor. "And, sadly, rather expected."

"I think we both knew it wouldn't last," said Yvonne.

Phailin fiddled with her Orichalcum bangle. "A pity, really."

"Yes," said Yvonne.

There was a moment of terrible, terrible silence. Yvonne and Phailin very carefully did not look at each other. Phailin kept turning her bangle around and around in her fingers, while Yvonne studied the paintings decorating the walls. Once or twice, she reached up to one ear and brushed a ruby earring with her fingertip.

Charles appeared at the far end of the hallway, saw he was heading towards Yvonne and Phailin and immediately turned about-face. Neither woman noticed him.

"It was just a game," Yvonne said.

"Not _just_ a game," said Phailin.

"No," Yvonne agreed. "But still, mostly, a game. So I think... yes. Phailin?"

"Yes?"

"How would you like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow evening?" Yvonne proposed. "I have the perfect place already in mind. Tir na nOg."

Phailin frowned. "You mean that Irish pub a few blocks away?"

Yvonne smiled. "No."

"Well, in that case I happily accept."

* * * * *

Phailin stormed into her room and headed straight for her bookcase. Or at least, that was her intention. But she was pulled up short by the Rose of Eternal Snow sparkling prettily in the sun. She stared at it for several moments.

She wasn't really familiar with the feelings churning in her chest as she watched the Rose. Oh, she'd stirred them up in others often enough in order to get what she wanted, but she'd never really thought she'd actually really feel any of them herself.

Of course, she considered with a smile, Yvonne was stirring them up to get what _she_ wanted, didn't she?

Phailin shook her head. Enough of such musings. Dinner was tomorrow and she needed to prepare. She strode over to her bookcase and started pulling out yellowing tomes and crackling scrolls. One of these days she'd really have to organize her bookcase. That way she'd actually find what she was looking for within moments.

Ah, here it was. _Spider Cults of England_.

Phailin frantically leafed through the pages.

_There_. Dread Morgathin. Mother of Ten Million Spiders.

And, more importantly, famous for creating spider-silk robes for her dark priestesses.

Phailin slammed the book shut, a plan already forming in her mind. The Chairman wouldn't be happy, but some things were more important than Pinkerton's wishes. She'd be going out to dinner with Yvonne.

She'd need something to wear.


End file.
